March25,2004

The House Transportation Committee yesterday completed its mark-up of HR 3550, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, better known as the TEA-LU. This measure reauthorizes federal surface transportation assistance for state and local governments. When it was reported out of committee, the measure included language authorizing $14 million in projects that would go directly to the 9th District, due to the efforts by Congressman Smith. Smith requested many quality projects be included in the TEA-LU bill and he was happy to see that 10 were included in the final bill. The measure now heads to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

“Investment in our infrastructure is critical to the continued growth of our economy,” said Smith. “By creating these opportunities in the Puget Sound region, we are creating jobs and improving the ability to move products and people in our area making it more productive and economically feasible to do business here.”

The following is a list of projects secured for the Ninth District:

State Route 167 - $2.5 million

Creates a new freeway from State Route 509 (Port of Tacoma) to State Route 161 (Puyallup)

Cross Base Highway - $1.5 million

Creates a new highway from I-5 to State Route 7 located between Fort Lewis and McChord AFB

Yelm 510/507 - $2.5 million

Creates an alternative route to two existing state highways that bisect Yelm, Washington

Renton 405/167 - $2 million

Rebuilds State Route 167 and the I-405 interchange and adds additional lanes to relieve congestion